Avagene Moore: Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Forum! ...
Avagene Moore: Before we hear from our speaker, would like to remind
you that any URLs used in the presentation are live links (in blue.)
Click on them to see the pages references. ...
Avagene Moore: For example, background for today's session is at
http://www.emforum.org/vforum/990421.htm ....
Avagene Moore: Suggest you also check out the following URL if you
haven't previously done so.
http://y2k.ci.lubbock.tx.us/excersise.htm ...
Avagene Moore: The URL above will give you additional insight to the
Y2K exercise conducted by the City of Lubbock last fall. Our speaker
will give us more details and you will have an opportunity to ask
questions after the interview. ...
Avagene Moore: And now to introduce our speaker --- Ken Olson is the
Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Lubbock and has held
this position for the past five years. ...
Avagene Moore: Prior to being appointed to this position, Ken served
as Fleet Services Director for fifteen years. During the majority of
this time he worked directly under the Director of Administrative
Services, who was in charge of emergency operations for the City of
Lubbock. ...
Avagene Moore: Prior to joining the City of Lubbock, Ken was a
teacher in the Lubbock Public Schools and taught at Alderson Jr. High
School, Monterey High School, and Dunbar Struggs High School. His
teaching fields were Industrial Arts and Distributive Education. ..
Avagene Moore: Ken is a graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State
University in Weatherford, Oklahoma, where he earned a Bachelor of
Science Degree with a major in Industrial Arts Education and a minor
in Business Education. He also attended Angelo State University
where he earned his certification for teaching Vocational Education.
...
Avagene Moore: Thank you for being here today, Ken.
Ken Olson: It is my pleasure.
Avagene Moore: My first question to you, Ken ...
Avagene Moore: Ken, what was the purpose of Lubbock's Y2K exercise?
Ken Olson: The purpose of our exercise was to determine our overall
level of preparedness with emphasis on the Y2K issue. The exercise
was a functional exercise, therefore, we did not break anything.
Avagene Moore: How long did it take to plan the exercise and who was
involved in the design?
Ken Olson: We have an exercise design team that put it together and
it took them about 3 months with a lot of late night work near the
day of the exercise.
Avagene Moore: Who was involved in the actual simulation on September
30, 1998?
Ken Olson: All our first responders who normally respond to the
emergency operations center were called in at approximately 4: 30 PM
as they would for any type of EOC activation. These individuals are
those who have responsibility for citizen services.
Avagene Moore: What type of guidelines and pre-briefing was done for
the exercise?
Ken Olson: There were some meeting early on with the exercise design
team to discuss the overall perspective of the exercise. From that
point on, the team put the exercise together. However, I might add
that this team was a part of the group that went to FEMA's IEMC
course and assisted with the exercise for the class.
Avagene Moore: Will you please share with us any major problems
encountered in the exercise?
Ken Olson: The exercise lasted about 3 hours.
Avagene Moore: Any major problems?
Ken Olson: Some of the major problems we encountered with the
exercise were: power outages, phone outages, natural gas outage,
radio system failures, 9-1-1 system failure and a winter storm. These
were the issues for the exercise. We did not have any major
functional problems.
Avagene Moore: In your opinion, was the simulation realistic? Would
you change anything if you could run the exercise again?
Ken Olson: Yes, it was very realistic. We had assistance with the
local media and did actual news briefings. The play of the problem
went very well and all directors responding were able to "get into"
the issues they were dealing with. In addition, the thing that
surfaced most was the team work demonstrated by the team. I really
don't think I would change much. One major problem was having the
ABC World News Tonight team in the EOC during the exercise. The City
Manager and I was wearing live mics al
Avagene Moore: Ken, your response was a bit long. Would you please
resubmit what was cut off?
Ken Olson: The City Manager and I were wearing live mics and this was
a little tough to get use to.
Avagene Moore: There is a maximum number of characters you can submit
at a time. Better to break a long response in 2 or 3 parts separated
by .... Thanks, Ken.
Ken Olson: Ok.
Avagene Moore: Did you have a critique afterwards? If so, how did
the City of Lubbock do? Strengths and shortfalls?
Ken Olson: Yes we did. The exercise control team members discussed
our responses to the incidents...
Ken Olson: and each director had an opportunity to discuss where they
thought they had problems....
Ken Olson: However, for the most part everyone was well pleased with
our effort.
Avagene Moore: This was billed as the first exercise of this type in
the country. What type of press coverage did you receive from the
local and state media? You mentioned ABC World News; was there other
national coverage?
Ken Olson: Yes, we had a lot of local coverage. All three local
networks were there and were involved in the exercise....
Ken Olson: In addition, we had a lot of national coverage with both
television and the printed media....
Ken Olson: a couple of articles appeared in the Wall Street Journal.
They were all very positive.
Avagene Moore: I understand that the City of Lubbock was asked to
appear before a Congressional Committee shortly after the exercise.
Which committee? Please tell us about that experience.
Ken Olson: Our City Manager appeared before the Senate Subcommittee
on Y2K as a panel member.
Avagene Moore: Again, the City of Lubbock Y2K URL is
http://y2k.ci.lubbock.tx.us/ ...
Avagene Moore: Thank you, Ken. I am sure our audience has questions
for you. Before we open the floor for questions from our audience.
...
Avagene Moore: Please submit a question mark (?) if you have a
question or comment. Compose your question or remarks but wait until
you are recognized before submitting to the screen. ...
Avagene Moore: First question of Ken, please.
jennifer suter: ?
Avagene Moore: Jennifer.
Ken Olson: Thanks, we are keeping our Website up to date and welcome
everyone to take a look at it.
Amy Sebring: ?
jennifer suter: How strong was the support from the Mayor's office?
Russell Coile: ?
Ken Olson: Very strong. She was a member of the exercise control
team without our knowledge
Avagene Moore: Amy, please.
Amy Sebring: Somehow I got the idea, you are planning a second
exercise?
Kellye Junchaya: ?
Ken Olson: No, we have decided to concentrate our efforts on ensuring
our contingency plans are kept up to date and cover all anticipated
issues
Avagene Moore: Russell, your question please.
Russell Coile: What did your EOC do for real with no power, no
telephones and no 911?
Jim Mesite: ?
Amy Sebring: ?
Ken Olson: We have all our fire stations set up as message centers
and will get the word out to the public via the media to go the
nearest fire station of information. We have a 5 minute response
time in our city.
Avagene Moore: Kellye, next.
Kellye Junchaya: I am curious how you got the media involved. Press
releases? Phone calls?
Ken Olson: Our Public Information Office enjoys a very good
relationship with the local media...
Ken Olson: in addition, one of the exercise control team member works
for one of the local TV stations
Avagene Moore: Jim, your question, please.
Jim Mesite: Did you have a techie actually enter the 2000 date into
systems, or did you assume a problem and then discuss actions?
Ken Olson: No, we simulated everything. We did not break anything.
Avagene Moore: Amy, your turn, please.
Amy Sebring: Have you been using FEMA's guide, and do you find it
useful? http://www.fema.gov/y2k/ccmp.htm
Avagene Moore: ?
Ken Olson: Somewhat. We are concentrating on local issues.
Avagene Moore: Are you hearing from other communities as to how they
should prepare for Y2K?
Avagene Moore: (Please submit a ? if you have a question for Ken.)
Ken Olson: We have sent out approximately 475 copies of the video and
exercise scenario.
Avagene Moore: Is that still available and how does one get the info?
Ken Olson: Yes, we get a lot of calls from other cities all over the
United States and some from Canada.
Avagene Moore: How do they contact your office if they want the
video?
Ken Olson: It is still available. Just send me a request on email
and we will be happy to send you a copy. We are asking for a $20.
reimbursement for our expense
Amy Sebring: ?
Avagene Moore: Amy.
Ken Olson: expenses.
Amy Sebring: You have a great Website there. What are you
communicating to your citizens regarding family preparedness?
Avagene Moore: (Put in your email address at some point, please,
Ken.)
Ken Olson: We have established a speakers group and are meeting with
civic clubs, churches, neighborhood associations, schools and with
Texas Tech University.
AK Miller: ?
Avagene Moore: Andy, please.
Ken Olson: We are also using the media as much as possible.
AK Miller: Can you give an example of something you have changed in
your procedures since the exercise?
Ken Olson: My email address is: kolson@mail.ci.lubbock.tx.us
Avagene Moore: (Thanks, Ken.)
Ken Olson: Are you thinking technical or in our procedures?
Amy Sebring: ?
Avagene Moore: Can you address both, Ken?
Ken Olson: On the technical side, we have changed out some switching
systems in our Electric and Water SCADA systems.
Ken Olson: We have placed a greater amount of emphasis on contingency
planning at all levels within the organization and I think that's
great from the overall emergency preparedness....
Ken Olson: perspective. The City Manager is very much involved in
our planning efforts....
Ken Olson: in fact he has set up regular monthly status meetings.
Avagene Moore: Amy, your question, please.
Amy Sebring: What is the message that your speakers group is giving?
Ken Olson: We are providing up to date information on our contingency
plans...
Ken Olson: and we are discussing what we are doing to ensure they
will have power and water....
Ken Olson: we are also discussing with them family preparedness
issues.....
Avagene Moore: ?
Amy Sebring: ?
Ken Olson: for this we are using Red Cross and FEMA information.
Avagene Moore: As result of this and other planning and awareness, do
you think the average citizen and family is paying more attention to
their own responsibility for preparedness?
Ken Olson: We sure hope they are, however, as you know there are
still those who think we will have major problems....
Amy Sebring: Do you plan to have your EOC up and running on New Year
Amy Sebring: (oops, hit the wrong key)
Ken Olson: to this issue, we are asking that they think about and
concentrate on local issues as well as outside (national issues) that
might have an effect on them individually.
Avagene Moore: Please take Amy's question, Ken.
Ken Olson: Yes, I will be there all day and the team will come in
around 10: 30 PM.
Avagene Moore: Other questions of Ken?
Amy Sebring: ?
Isabel McCurdy: ?
Avagene Moore: Ken, I noticed part of your Y2K scenario was icing and
severe winter weather on New Year's Eve. Let's hope that doesn't
occur. Amy.
Amy Sebring: At this late date, any overall advice on how to get
started with contingency planning?
Amy Sebring: Who to involve for example?
Ken Olson: Another thought, I plan to have a computer set up at each
station so the directors can get on the internet and "watch the clock
to Texas" by looking at what has happened earlier in the day.
Ken Olson: Its never to late look at your planning efforts. I would
strongly suggest that a planning team be developed...
Ken Olson: to look at their local issues and the impact the outside
agencies would have on their ability to deliver an acceptable level
of services to their citizens.
Avagene Moore: Isabel, please.
Isabel McCurdy: How many people are on your exercise design team?
Ken Olson: 8, and all of them are not with the city.
Avagene Moore: Time for one more question. Anyone?
Ken Olson: The team is chaired by a Police Lt. who serves as my
backup while I am out of town.
Avagene Moore: Thank you, Ken! And thank you, audience. The City of
Lubbock is to be commended. ...
Avagene Moore: Hope this was beneficial to you all. Before we
formally close our session today, would like to remind you of next
week's sessions. ...
Ken Olson: Hey guys, thank for not being to tough on a rookie. I did
have fun.
Avagene Moore: Next Tuesday, April 27, 1: 00 PM EDT...
Avagene Moore: IAEM Pres Elect, Phyllis Mann will lead the Round
Table. ...
Avagene Moore: She will talk about the message she delivered re: Y2K
to a congressional committee recently....
Avagene Moore: Wednesday, April 28, 12: 00 Noon EDT: The Tech Arena
will host a discussion of NEMIS by FEMA. You will want to be present
for the dialogue and demonstration.
Avagene Moore: If you can stay around a few minutes for
congratulations, Ken. ....
Avagene Moore: We will be here for a few minutes longer ...
Ken Olson: Sure
Avagene Moore: Thanks to all. The Virtual Forum is adjourned for the
day.